Cleaners for hard and flexible surfaces must be effective in removal and/or softening of greases, tars, resins, waxes and many other contaminants on the various surfaces. Limonene is an optically active terpene closely related to isoprene. Limonene has been used in compositions for its soil removal and grease cutting abilities. Surfactants are commonly used in these cleaning solutions. The surfactants may act to enhance removal of soil or may act as a coupling agent for cleaning compositions. A coupling agent acts to produce flowable, clear, homogeneous liquid compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,151 and 4,336,152 issued to Like et al relate to disinfectant/cleaner compositions exhibiting reduced eye irritancy potential. These compositions contain a quaternary ammonium compound, a non-ionic surfactant, d-limonene, an eye irritancy reducing compound, water and optionally a lower aliphatic alcohol. The compositions may contain from about 0.25% to about 6% by weight of d-limonene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,128 issued to Goffinet relates to liquid detergent compositions which comprise 1-20% surfactant, 0.5-10% mono-or sesquiterpenes and 0.5% to 10% of a polar solvent. The polar solvent is preferably benzyl alcohol. d-limonene is listed as one of the terpene compounds and is present in a preferred amount from about 1% to about 3% by weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,250 issued to Frazier relates to disinfectant/cleaning compositions optionally containing d-limonene. The compositions generally comprise a quaternary ammonium compound, n-dodecyl guanidium hydrochloride, a specified nonionic surfactant, a lower aliphatic alcohol and water. These compositions may optionally contain from 0% to 4% by weight d-limonene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,488 issued to Matta relates to d-limonene based aqueous cleaning compositions. The composition contains selected surface active agents and coupling agents. The coupling agents are glycols or lowr alkyl glycol ethers and the surface active agents are one or more anionic, nonionic surfactants. A typical cleaning composition comprises 10-60% d-limonene, 10-30% surfactant and 20-70% water, a coupling agent in an amount of 2-10 parts by weight and 2-12 parts of additives adapting the composition for particular uses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,505 issued to Frazier relates to disinfectant spray cleanser containing glycol ethers. d-limonene containing aqueous pump spray compositions are rendered clear and stable by monoethers of particular aliphatic glycols.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,225 reissued as U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,210 issued to Stoufer relates to cleaning compositions of terpene hydrocarbon and a coconut oil fatty acid alkanol amide having water dispersed therein. The terpene hydrocarbon is selected from limonene or dipentene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and mixtures of alpha- and beta-pinene, carinene, etc. The compositions contain an oil-phase consisting of 95 parts to 85 parts by weight of the terpene hydrocarbon.
It is desirable to find an environmentally safe cleaning composition with improved grease cutting ability. It is desirable to obtain this grease cutting ability without the use of coupling agents.